Joint Statement of Civil Society Organizations

Today We the Civil Society Organizations of Pakistan, together with other segments of civil society, social movements and political groups, announce our commitment to deepen, broaden, protection and revival of the local government system and local democracy in Pakistan.

Majority of us not only welcomead the Devolution of Power Plan of 2000 but have worked to strengthen the same as it enshrined empowerment for the marginalized classes and women of the country, through quota, at all the three tiers of local governments. Therefore, today, we the representatives of civil society organizations declare:

our determination to struggle and contest the on-going conspiracies against the local government system.

our resolve to defend the reality of the Local Democracy through continuity of local government system that is inclusive of the marginalized social groups.

Our belief that empowered social groups and society at large, through local democracy, is the strongest medium to ward off extremist forces and manage humanitarian crisis like IDP.

Our demand to the provincial governments to further the principal of autonomy by truly devolving powers to the local governments

Our urge the Election Commission of Pakistan to announce the date for the next local government election without further delay.

We abhor any and all the efforts that attempt to eliminate and reduce the Local government system as mere administrative appendage of the provincial governments as it will be detrimental to the societal socio-political empowerment. We condemn the unilateral changes being pushed by the provincial governments to satisfy the administrative lust of bureaucracy as it disregards the public opinion and action research on the subject.

To consolidate our collective efforts, We the representatives of CSOs on behalf of our organizations and networks , from the Aurat Foundation, Liberal Forum, Pattan Development Organization, FAFEN, DTCE and The Researchers, announce the formation of Jeeway Mouqami Jamhooriat Tehreek (JMJT) and its National

Executive Council.
JMJT will have larger representation of the civil society organizations, networks and groups and we extend our fullest support to the same. We urge the social groups and political parties to join our cause to strengthen and institutionalize democracy in Pakistan.